MERI

Atmospheric Brown Clouds (ABCs) are composed of submicrometer aerosols, including black carbon and other constituents (e.g., sulfate, organics). Globally, ABCs are a major agent of climate change and long range pollution transport.  Single particle mass spectra indicate ABC particles in size ranges that efficiently scatter (e.g., 0.2-1.0 μm) are comprised predominantly of internal mixtures that include organic carbon. The vertical profile of organic carbon is not well simulated in atmospheric models and this contributes substantially to uncertainty in climate projections because radiative scattering is altitude dependent. Changes in emissions, SOA partitioning parameters, (among other efforts) do not improve model-predicted vertical profiles, but inclusion of aqueous phase organic chemistry (e.g., cloud processing of VOCs) does. Organic “brown” carbon, often associated with humic-like substances (HULIS) is ubiquitous in the atmosphere.  Sources are thought to include multi- or mixed-phase atmospheric processes (e.g., aqueous phase chemistry in cloud droplets). It has been demonstrated in recent laboratory experiments that products of aqueous phase oxidation of water soluble atmospheric gases such as, glyoxal, methylglyoxal and phenols include HULIS and other light-absorbing products.  In this work I explore how inclusion of aqueous phase chemistry in clouds in 3-dimensional atmospheric models changes the predicted vertical profile of particulate carbon.  Inclusion of multiphase atmospheric chemistry improves closure with measurements of short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs), particularly aloft.

As part of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission GIS Outreach program, the MERI-GIS department will be presenting the next phase of its Emergency Response Information System (ERIS) – a webMapping application that has been used by member municipalities in the Hackensack Meadowlands District since 2007. This presentation will highlight the new tools that will enhance the program’s capabilities. Along these lines, ERIS users will be able to visualize building floorplans that can provide more information, and in the matters of emergency management – could mean the difference between life and death. Other components will address emergency guidelines in the form of size-up and pre-plan forms. A standard guideline that fire departments and/or emergency managers can ascertain when faced with emergency situations, or events that may compromise public safety. These components will be available to the municipalities mid-summer.

Studies in the District have found that the concentration of Lead (Pb) associated with small particles in the air (PM_2.5) is high compared to suburban areas in New Jersey.  In 2008, the EPA established stricter ambient air quality criteria for Lead based on total suspended particles (TSP) and not to exceed 0.15 µm/m³ (for rolling 3 month averaging time).  Lead associated with larger sized particles (TSP) in the District has not been well documented thus far. Therefore, measurements are needed to establish baseline Lead concentrations in the air using EPA’s new criteria.  The objective is to determine if the District exceeds the new EPA lead criteria when lead is measured as a fraction of TSP. We will be using High Volume air samplers to collect TSP from two locations every six days for a period of one year to determine if the new criteria for lead are exceeded. MERI will also use the established EPA standard operating procedure (SOP) to determine the concentration of lead in the samples.

The MERI-GIS Department will be presenting a live demonstration of the newly released version of the popular Municipal Map and Emergency Response Information System (ERIS) to reporters interested in getting a first look at the available mapping tools for their constituent NJMC towns. This webMapping application will provide an effective tool for town officials in viewing, analyzing and drilling down to more detail of their respective towns for planning, emergency management and response, and to assist in their decision making. This program is available to the 14 In-District municipalities. Formal training to towns and NJMC staff will follow.

As part of the GIS Outreach Program of the Meadowlands Commission, the GIS & IT Group has been working on a brand new version of this popular web-mapping module that has been utilized by NJMC’s constituent towns since 2003. This new version will highlight new and improved tools that have become the staple for a lot of the municipalities in performing their day-to-day tasks, from variance notification, identifying existing zones to summarizing land uses within a specific town. This short presentation will be demonstrated by Brian Kennedy and Michael Mills.

Abstract: The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission has been monitoring ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) since 2007. These pollutants except CO2 are part of the principal pollutants that pose significant impact on human health established by USEPA. State of New Jersey and the federal government have set concentration standards for these principal pollutants to protect the public health and prevent environmental damage. The goals are to compare the data with the established standards, to determine the impact of major pollution sources, to measure background levels and to measure secondary impacts in rural areas. Samples are collected by Thermo Scientific five i-series gas analyzers at MERI’s roof for 24 hours a day. We examined the datasets of CO2, O3 and NOx and conducted the statistical analysis of the datasets. From the preliminary analysis summary we found in general the patterns are similar for CO2, NO2, NO, and NOx with respect to the season, day of the week, and the time of day. The patterns for O3 are different from those for the above 4 pollutants.

Abstract: Wetlands can potentially accumulate organic carbon at very high rate over long periods of time due to their continual accretion and burial of organic rich material into the sediment. Coupled with the anaerobic conditions of microbial activity where degradation happens at a very slow rate wetlands have an advantage over other environments due to their carbon sequestration ability. Therefore the destruction of wetlands not only leads to loosing them as carbon sinks but also means the carbon stored can be released once again into the atmosphere adding more strength into the greenhouse effect. The purpose of this research project is to better understand the role of wetlands as carbon sinks by their C sequestration potential. Sediment at the Riverbend site in Secaucus NJ was cored. For the 274.3 cm core the bulk density, total organic carbon as well as the gradual accretion were determined.

Abstract: The importance of using local ecotypes of species as building blocks in restored communities and the need of including information on genotypic differentiation has been stressed in restoration ecology. Large portions of brackish East Coast marshlands have been invaded by a non-native, European genotype of the common reed, Phragmites australis. As a result, only a small fraction of the New Jersey Hackensack Meadowlands is now dominated by native marsh species and only isolated patches of Spartina patens remain. As these patches vary in size and seem to resist encroachment by Phragmites differentially, we investigated (a) whether larger patches are able to resist invasion more than smaller patches and (b) whether large-patch clones are better suited for restoration efforts. We aim at understanding whether the extant mosaic of small and large patches is the result of a random disintegration of one former large Spartina stand or rather it is the result of a network of patches that resisted invasion differently. In a combined approach that includes surveys of permanent transects, common garden transplant experiments, competition experiments, genetic and chemical analysis, we monitored border dynamics and assessed genetic identity and performance of clones of different patch sizes. Results of the project indicate (1) clear genetic differentiation between large and small-patch clones even when they are in close proximity to each other and (2) that clonal diversity in large patches is greater than in small-patches. There are differential competitive capacities of these distinct clones: (a) border zones between the invader and Spartina tend to be more defined in large Spartina remnant patches than in small patches; (b) Spartina increases in dominance at large-patch borders but decrease in small-patch borders; and (c) large-patch Spartina is able to reduce the growth of invading Phragmites fragments and is less reduced by it. We conclude that current small patches are not the remnants of the formerly extensive, homogenous stands. Rather, the current mosaic of small and large patches is the result of a large number of clones that resisted invasion differentially. Little is known about the underlying mechanisms, and clone-specific root exudates were explored but no clear differences between ramets from successful and less successful patches were found so far. Our results strongly suggest that some genetically defined Spartina clones are more suitable for restoration efforts than others, a notion that has strong implication for future restoration projects.

NJMC COOP and GIS will present their latest program in collecting utility assests. This meeting will detail the efforts by the NJMC in collecting/organizing GIS data for muncipal officials to use in their day-to-day tasks.

Abstract: A transect of marsh cores from Jamaica Bay northward provides acrchives of vegetation history, climate change, and human impact. Community disturbaance of the forests and landscape is indicated by pollen and spore stratigraphy at time of European settlement up to present, with large losses of forest. Forests prior to European impact were comprised of more Pinus strobus, Quecus, Tsuga canadensis, and Carya than today. A 3.7 m sediment core from Meadowlands shows pollen signature is dominated by sedges and grasses, while Hudson Marshes are dominated by oak and pine. This difference is probably due to the large spatial extent of the Meadowlands marshes. Primeval Meadowlandss sedge communities were Primarily composed of Scirpus and Cyperus though Cladium and Eleocharis were also present. Local marsh community composition has changed greatly both prior to European arrival and since European impact. Phragmites and Typha angustifolia have increaded greatly since the 1600’s. Percent of organic matter in the HUdson marshes since European impact increase by a factor of five, probably caused by the sharp decline in upland inorganics. Reasons include dams built first by the Dutch settlers for millponds. Meadowlands organic matter percent delines with European impact, probably due to influx of inorganic matter from regional disturbabnces.